It was a most heroic action for that frail young woman, exhausted from the run, to plunge in with clothes and shoes on. I asked B. to take me to call on her and that visit will always remain in my memory as a beautiful picture. She was sitting on the vine-covered porch at her sewing-machine, while the children played around. She did not wish to speak of the tragedy and talked of lighter things.
She told us she had grown up on a plantation near Beaufort, and she had only consented to come to the city on condition that her home should be on the outskirts, where she could have large grounds with flower and vegetable garden and keep a cow, a small farm in fact, and her present home gave her all the country occupations and pleasures, while her children could reach the city schools easily. I had gone for the purpose of expressing my gratitude and admiration for her presence of mind and heroism, so before we left I spoke of the tragedy. Her lovely face went white at once, and she said:—
"Oh, but the other boy! If only I could have got him too! I think of that other mother always."
My very heart was stirred by the heroism of the whole thing, and the mercy of the rescue of my dear great-nephew and the terrible tragedy of his companion's death. Altogether my admiration and reverence was excited for all the actors in the drama, Mrs. M., and my great-nephew, who had tried to save his comrade, but Mrs. M. above all;—just a flash of tragedy, heroism, and nobility out of the clear sky, when often life looks so commonplace.
October 4.
It is a wonder to me how I can cast away all thought of things at home so completely, specially the pea-vine hay, which had become a kind of fetish with me, but truth to say, my time and thoughts are so fully occupied that I have no chance to dwell on anything outside of these four walls. It is time for the incubator to hatch and I find myself in spite of active occupations wondering as to how Chloe and Patty are getting on. Neither of them seemed able to make out the thermometer, so that my kind friend Mrs. S. had promised to go in once a day and look at it. It will be a wonder if any chickens hatch under the circumstances.
This is a lovely place, a charmingly comfortable house and so surrounded by trees that I can forget I am in a city and only feel the comfort of having the butcher and baker and every one else you want, call at your door. I certainly can appreciate that part of city life.
"Seven" and "Eight" go to school and the excitement of getting them off in the morning is intense. They have a long walk, entirely across the town, and there are many snares and pitfalls in the shape of circus pictures on the way, so that it is necessary to give them ample time to get there before the bell rings.
"Four" stays at home and is my constant companion. If he were not a fascinating child it would be very trying, but besides being strong, healthy, and handsome he is perfectly obedient and very original. I was sitting on the porch sewing and he was playing with my trunk strap, greatly to the injury of the strap, twisting it around a tree. I told him to stop, which he did at once, and with the greatest agility, to use his own word, he "skinned" up the tree. He went up until he was on a level with the second story windows and then began to discourse.
"Aunt Patience, did you see how quick I minded you, an' stopped doing what you tol' me not to do?"